We present to your attention various ways to overcome stress, which are recommended and used by psychologists and psychotherapists. So, what can you do to avoid the unpleasant consequences of stress disorders in the future?
Causes of stress:
Losing a family member, divorce, and moving are major changes that can cause strong psychological reactions. Some studies suggest a connection: An overactive stress system and high levels of cortisol in the body are correlated with the incidence of depression and other negative health conditions, including heart disease. When our brain feels threatened, it instructs the body to produce more fear hormones, such as cortisol, to help the body fight or run away from the threat. This works well if you are in real serious danger, and it helps get rid of trouble, but in modern life, when dangers are mostly illusory, the fight or flight response becomes a problem.
Other examples of events that can cause strong hormone levels include:
- a serious argument with your spouse or significant other
- job loss
- major natural disasters such as earthquakes or tornadoes that could damage your property
- being involved in a car accident that may cause physical or mental harm
- violent crime against you or your property
Certain behaviors you take can also increase your risk. This is especially true if they affect your overall health or if you are dependent on unhealthy coping mechanisms.
It can be:
- excessive alcohol consumption
- sedentary lifestyle
- smoking or drug use
- working for long periods of time without a break
- unhealthy eating habits
- TV or video game addiction
- Internet addiction
These are the shortcomings that it is desirable to get rid of, they themselves are stressors, and simply eliminating them from everyday life will make you healthier and more mentally stable.
Depression makes it difficult to cope with stress and cope with strong stimuli. Stresses big and small will happen anyway, but if you are depressed, you won't have the strength to deal with them quickly. This, in turn, worsens symptoms of depression.
Classification of stress conditions
Stressful conditions can be:
- short-term (for example, stress when visiting the dentist);
- cyclical (for example, obligatory visits to unloved relatives that are repeated with some regularity);
- chronic (for example, suffering from an incurable disease);
- sequential, in which one experience causes another (for example, divorce or job loss).
Stressful events vary:
- by degree of control;
- according to the degree of their manifestation;
- with the flow;
- by consequences;
- by the number of participants involved.
Most stressful events have limited control, being only partially managed under certain conditions or at a certain point in time. This sounds pessimistic. But events that at first glance are uncontrollable are, in some sense or extent, still subject to human control.
Stress. Anxiety. Depression.
Stress can be caused by a single major event or repeated situations. This is called an acute condition.
Stress can also last for a long time, with little relief. In these cases, events or illnesses can cause constant strain on mental strength. And it is more difficult to treat, since in this case, it may not be possible to remove or weaken the stressor. This is called chronic stress, and it is more difficult to cope with. Chronic stress is usually the result of ongoing personal, lifestyle, or health problems that are also chronic. Common causes of chronic stress include:
- presence of financial difficulties
- working at a job you don't like (emotional burnout)
- the presence of ongoing personal problems (poor relationships with family, sick relative requiring care)
- lack of support, feeling lonely
Negative effects of stress
Stress is not only the cause of emotional problems and addictions, it lies – directly or indirectly – at the root of many serious diseases. A prolonged stressful state disrupts not only the psycho-emotional background, but also the functioning of important systems and organs. Here are just a few of the many conditions that have a proven connection with stress.
- cardiovascular diseases;
- autoimmune processes;
- disorders of the gastrointestinal tract;
- metabolic disease;
- diseases of the nervous system;
- muscle tension and pain, etc.
Depression after stress
Although stress, as a rule, already has a negative impact on your physical and mental health, if you also develop depression, it becomes impossible to cope with on your own.
Stress can cause you to stop maintaining positive habits or strategies that help you overcome depression. Accordingly, symptoms of depression become more intense. Disruption to a healthy lifestyle can lead you to engage in negative coping strategies, such as drinking alcohol or withdrawing from social relationships. These actions put you in a vicious cycle: increased stress, which increases symptoms of depression, which reduce your ability to cope with stress.
Stress also affects your mood, causing anxiety and irritability to occur as a reaction to negative changes.
But despite this, you can cope with it!
When stress can be beneficial
Be that as it may, stress is an integral and obligatory part of our lives. It is impossible to avoid all factors and stressful situations. We associate stress only with unpleasant events and difficult situations, but researchers convince us of the existence of positive stress. We deal with it when the accumulated strength and energy allow us to accomplish what we have planned, achieve goals, and experience the joy of success. At optimal levels, stress has positive aspects:
- it mobilizes our strength and increases efficiency;
- motivates to take action;
- increases energy;
- allows you to overcome obstacles;
- improves overall well-being;
- increases tone.
Relieving stress and depression, tips
All the methods that help in managing stress are also useful in the fight against depression. Relieving psychological stress also helps prevent the development of depressive symptoms. Some useful stress management tips include:
- healthy sleep
- healthy eating habits
- doing regular exercise
- regular breaks from work and time for rest and switching
- hobbies and favorite activities
- reduction of caffeine and alcohol
- practice meditation and breathing exercises
- lowering your own work standards (getting rid of perfectionism)
- reducing the responsibilities and duties that you have taken on
- delegation of responsibility
- change your environment if you feel uncomfortable with your friends and family
- remove yourself from the stressful situation as quickly as possible; if it is an unhealthy relationship, end it; if it is a hard job, change it as soon as possible.
Activities such as yoga, meditation or attending interest groups can also help cope. A combination of these methods may be even more effective. It's important to find what works for you. And no matter what you choose to cope with stress and depression, it is important to have close friends and family members who are willing to support you.
Talking to a psychologist will also help. Talk therapy, or in combination with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or even medication support. Everything is a proven working solution for both depression and chronic stress. It is possible to overcome depression.
How to get out of different stressful situations
Different types of stress require a different approach:
- Work stress. To overcome this type of stress, you must first create a workday routine. Never discuss your work process outside of work.
- During pregnancy, women suffer the most from stress. To overcome it, you need to rest more, get a lot of positive emotions, eat only healthy food, and walk in the fresh air.
- Personal stress can be overcome primarily through relaxation, auto-training, walks, and communication with loved ones.
- In order to overcome the stress associated with the loss of a loved one, you should remember that life goes on, you should not be ashamed to express your feelings and emotions, and not keep them to yourself. The next thing that is also very effective is to keep yourself busy with something useful. For example, do handicrafts or drawing. As a last resort, contact a support group.
- If your child is stressed , parents can help by being patient. First of all, you need to make sure that your child gets enough sleep, play calm games with him. The child must be gradually prepared in advance for any changes in life, and supported morally in any situation. You should give him a feeling of security.
- If stress is accompanied by anxiety and depression, you should consult a doctor, who, during the examination, will prescribe sedatives. Attend support groups. Don't isolate yourself, try to be in company as much as possible.
If the fight against stress was successful, then the person becomes calm and looks at things soberly. The feeling of oppression disappears, the world becomes more colorful. External stimuli no longer affect the nervous system. Breathing becomes smooth, thoughts become clear. The person becomes natural and sociable.
How to overcome stress and depression?
A depressed person cannot cope with serious problem situations. When a person is dealing with depression, trivial things may seem more negative than they really are. Advice that would be taken calmly may seem more difficult or impossible to follow, making it more difficult to help such a person. He will need much more time and strain on all remaining resources, which are already reduced due to depression. But everything can be overcome!
Talk to your psychologist. You don’t even have to look for it and waste precious time and strain once again. Contact the online psychological service Helppoint, here they will select a psychologist for you and you will be able to receive help and support from a trusted professional on a daily basis through correspondence or video consultation. Don't wait for tips, look for how to cope. Being active is very important in order to prevent a downward slide into the abyss of depression. It's much easier to cope and climb out of a shallow hole than one you've slowly dug and worked your way through over months or even years.
Main types of stress
Stresses differ in the drama of events, in the size of disasters, and in the impact they have.
Stress is biological
We experience it in situations where there is a threat to life or health. The body releases large amounts of adrenaline, a hormone that causes complete mobilization of strategic organs. Adrenaline plays an important role, as it contributes to the strongest reactions of the body and rapid decision-making - “fight or flight”.
Psychological stress
It arises from fear of loss of control, of demands that we perceive as beyond our capabilities. It can be caused by both banal haste and serious problems in personal relationships.
Conclusion
Stress can be caused by many personal, professional and life reasons. The best way to manage stress is to manage the stressors that you can control. For example, you can get rid of a toxic relationship or quit a job you don't like, this will help cope with stress. To cope with what is out of your control, use healthy coping strategies: regular exercise, healthy sleep, eating, meditation, and working with your psychologist. Get rid of bad habits such as alcohol, smoking, drugs. It sounds corny, but it really works!
Author: Editorial staff of the Help-Point.net portal
Start working with a psychologist right now
Start a consultation
Share
Previous article
Emotional burnout
Next article
Symptoms of Chronic Stress
Constant nervous tension is accompanied by unpleasant symptoms. They are associated with the action of hormones, which affect the body of men and women differently. There are universal signs of prolonged stress:
- frequent headaches, dizziness;
- pain in the stomach, liver;
- lack of appetite or gluttony;
- hair loss;
- memory impairment;
- fatigue, chronic fatigue;
- sleep disorders (insomnia, nightmares).
Against the background of physical and psychological exhaustion, a person’s resistance to infectious diseases also decreases.
Symptoms in men
If a man is constantly in a state of psychological stress, this greatly affects his health. Glucocorticoids reduce the sensitivity of tissues to sex hormones, so one of the symptoms of stress in men is decreased libido and weakened potency.
Decreased sexual function is an additional stress factor for men. There is anxiety, anxiety that impotence will develop, etc.
Symptoms in women
In women, hormonal imbalances due to stress affect the menstrual cycle. Delays, bleeding in the middle of the cycle, etc. may occur.
Glucocorticoids reduce protein anabolism, and fat synthesis, on the contrary, is activated. One of the manifestations of chronic stress in women is excess weight gain. Fat appears on the stomach and buttocks. Muscle mass in the legs and arms decreases.
If we talk about a more or less precise definition, then stress is the reaction of the protective psychological functions of the body to external stimuli. There is beneficial stress, which helps keep the body in working order and prevents you from relaxing.
But if such stress is no longer controlled, it can develop into a type that has a detrimental effect on the human psyche as a whole. In order to recognize the body's alarm signals, it is necessary to know the symptoms and signs of a stressful situation that goes beyond the normal state.
It is believed that the symptoms may not immediately appear in a bouquet. They can appear one at a time, and if the process is not stopped or slowed down in time, a nervous breakdown or exhaustion may occur.
In psychology, there are only 2 main types of stress: Beneficial (work) and harmful, which destroys the body from the inside. Types of stress also have their own characteristics.
Thus, stress on the physical level is accompanied, at first glance, by fluctuations in body temperature, dizziness and other ailments for no apparent reason. And the biological species includes injuries and other troubles received in an unexpected way, for example, during sports training.
Three stages of stress
People are exposed to nervous conditions regardless of their place of work, financial and social status, gender, or age. The stages of the process are the same; a person goes through 3 stages of stress:
- Anxiety;
- Resistance;
- Exhaustion.
Stage 1
At the initial stage, changes occur in the body: blood pressure rises, the heart begins to beat faster, appetite disappears or increases, digestive problems appear, and libido decreases. An anxious state reduces the body's immunity, and a person becomes defenseless against diseases.
Japanese method of dealing with depression - don’t demand too much from yourself: description
The Japanese method of dealing with depression
A busy schedule and the desire to do everything often lead to depression. If the feeling of depression intensifies, you should not take on overwhelming work. We must remember that no one has yet managed to embrace the immensity and not accept obligations beyond what they can fulfill. Don't demand too much from yourself:
- If there is a large-scale work ahead, then it is necessary to divide it into parts and deal with them separately.
- There is nothing wrong with being a little behind the times. It is much more important to maintain mercy towards yourself.
- If you cannot fully meet your expectations, it is better to take a vacation for a while or change your job altogether.
There is a Japanese method of dealing with depression. It is considered one of the most effective:
- So that a person does not place many problems on himself and simply takes his mind off them, he is swaddled. This method is called "otonamaki".
- The person should lie on his back in baby's pose. He is swaddled tightly and the sheet is tied tightly in a knot.
- At the same time, the resulting “ball” is slightly rocked to relax the muscles and joints.
Those people who have used this method claim that it helps and is very relaxing. Doctors warn that those with back pain should use this method with caution. Another method for depression in Japan is a funeral:
- The person is placed in a real coffin and closed. However, he thinks that this is just an experiment. There is a button in the coffin that you can press if you want to stop the action.
- But the button will definitely break the first time you press it—that’s how it’s designed.
- A man in horror hears how he is being taken somewhere, lowered, buried.
- Your whole life flashes before your eyes, good moments are remembered.
- After a while the person is released.
As a result, literally after a few minutes spent in the coffin, a person develops a taste for life and depression goes away. But psychologists advise not to use such a drastic method, since it can harm people with an unbalanced psyche.
How to develop stress resistance?
Try to learn how to defend yourself from unpleasant situations that can sometimes completely unsettle you. Start developing your stress tolerance.
- Control your emotions. Replace all experienced negative experiences and feelings with positive ones. Don’t accumulate unpleasant feelings, because an overfilled cup can provoke serious stress, seemingly out of nowhere.
- Protect yourself from external negativity. Maintain your independence, do not react to provocations, do not react to various stimuli. Keep your soul light, calm, positive.
- Smile and be happy. An amazing pattern: the more joy in your soul, the less stressed you are.
Stress is a normal physiological state that develops in response to a specific stimulus. The negative impact can be observed for a long time or, conversely, for a short period of time. During times of stress, a person's normal emotions are greatly modified. You can often feel irritability, anxiety, fear, and strong emotional distress.
Stress is divided into acute and chronic. The first condition develops in response to the depletion of the protective or adaptive system, in the presence of certain disorders of the immune system or in case of hormonal imbalance.
If a person fails to cope with difficulties, after a while we can talk about the appearance of chronic stress. According to recent studies, approximately 70% of urban residents have this problem.
Ways to get rid of the problem
The general principles of dealing with stress are to influence the psychological state. First of all, all measures are aimed at eliminating the main factor. If this is impossible, then the attitude towards it must be transformed. Most people want to know how to cope with stress.
For this, there are special techniques that teach relaxation. You must learn not to perceive events too fatally. Everything that happens is a kind of milestone that needs to be overcome on the path of one’s development. Any problem is a poor perception of life circumstances.
Treating stress at home involves a number of techniques and methods. Nature sound therapy is very effective. They can be recorded on audio media and listened to periodically. It's better to do this before bed. Before this, it is good to drink a glass of warm milk with honey. This remedy will help calm your nerves and set you up for relaxation. Instead of nature sounds, you can listen to various meditation melodies that will help you relax. This must be done in a horizontal position. You need to try to relax your whole body and let go of negative thoughts.
These stress management techniques are very effective if you do them for 10-15 minutes every day. An additional way to promote relaxation and eliminate the effects of stress is massage. If you use aromatherapy together with it, the result will not take long to arrive. Every day you need to set aside at least 30 minutes for yourself. How to relieve stress at home using this method?
For aromatherapy you need to use oils that improve your mood. These include many citrus fruits or choose any pleasant aroma. While the aroma lamp is working, it is recommended to massage the active points. These are the feet and palms. For massage, you can use baby cream or oil. It is necessary to knead the indicated parts of the body in turn. Movements should be soft but intense.
